CLUB  WORK 


FOR 

MEN  ON  THE  CANAL  ZONE 


CONDUCTED  BY  THE 

Young  Men’s  Christian  Association 


FOR  THE 

ISTHMIAN  CANAL  COMMISSION 


1“ 


Digitfzed  by  the  Internet  Archive 
in  2017  with  funding  from 
Columbia  University  Libraries 


https://archive.org/details/clubworkformenonOOunse 


A Typical  Y.  M.  C.  A.  Club  House 


Club  Work 

for 

Men  on  the  Canal  Zone 


Conducted  by  the 

Young  Men’s  Christian  Association 
for  the 

Isthmian  Canal  Commission 


NINETEEN  ELEVEN 


The  International  Committee 
Young  Men’s  Christian  Associations 
124  East  28th  Street,  New  York 


CLUB  WORK  FOR  MEN 
ON  THE  CANAL  ZONE 


The  Isthmian  Canal  Commission  has 
constructed  and  fully  equipped  for  the 
use  of  the  white  employees  on  the  Pan- 
ama Canal,  seven  magnificent  Club- 
houses, and  placed  them  in  charge  of 
the  Young  Men’s  Christian  Association 
for  operation.  These  Clubs  are  located 
as  follows: 

1.  Porto  Bello,  twenty  miles  down 
the  Caribbean  coast  from  Colon,  where 
is  located  the  great  rock  crushing 
plant,  which  furnishes  rock  for  the 
Gatun  locks  and  the  Toro  Point  break- 
water ; 

2.  Cristobal,  the  American  port  on 
the  Caribbean  and  where  are  located 
the  quartermaster’s  stores,  subsistence 
department  offices  and  the  offices  of 
the  Panama  R.  R.  Co. ; 

3.  Gatun,  at  which  point  are  being 
constructed  the  great  dam  and  the 
three  locks  at  the  Atlantic  end  of  the 
Canal ; 

4.  Gorgona,  where  the  large  shops 
are  located; 

5.  Empire,  the  town  of  shops,  head- 
quarters of  the  Central  Division  Engi- 


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Reading  Room — Gorgona  Veranda 


neer,  and  where  the  Examiner  of  Ac- 
counts and  Disbursing  Officer  are 
located; 

6.  Culebra,  headquarters  of  the 
Chairman  and  Chief  Engineer,  the 
headquarters  for  designing  engineer 
work  and  the  quartermaster’s  depart- 
ment. 

7.  Corozal,  the  headquarters  of  the 
Pacific  Division  Engineer. 

These  seven  buildings  are  especially 
designed  and  constructed  for  the 
tropics,  being  entirely  screened,  cool 
and  airy,  and  surrounded  by  wide 
verandas. 


Y.  M.  C.  A.  Club  House,  Empire 

The  buildings  are  provided  with 
pool  and  billiard  rooms,  bowling 
alleys  ( excepting  Corozal  and  Porto 
Bello),  libraries  of  from  500  to  1000 
volumes,  small  game  room  for  checkers, 
chess,  etc.,  reading  room,  where  can 
be  found  from  fifty  to  seventy-five  of 
the  latest  and  best  newspapers,  maga- 
zines and  periodicals,  barber  shops  and 
shoe-shine  stands  where  the  best  ser- 
vice can  be  had  at  moderate  prices ; 
gymnasiums,  locker  rooms  and  shower 
baths ; entertainment  halls,  refresh- 
ment counters,  where  ice  cream,  soft 


Bowling  Alleys,  Gatun 


Y.  M.  C.  A.  Club  House,  Porto  Bello 


drinks,  and  short  order  luncheons  can 
be  had,  and  a spacious  lobby,  where  is 
located  the  secretary’s  office,  phono- 
graph, cigar  and  candy  stand  and 
where  good  fellowship  always  abounds. 

The  International  Committee  of 
Young  Men’s  Christian  Associations 
has  sent  trained  secretaries  and  physi- 
cal directors  to  conduct  this  great  club 
work,  and  as  a result  of  their  supervi- 
sion and  with  the  loyal  cooperation  of 
local  committees,  every  activity  com- 


Reading  Room,  Porto  Bello 


8 


Lobby  and  Office,  Gatun 


mon  to  the  Young  Men’s  Christian 
Association  is  in  successful  opera- 
tion. The  membership  is  over  2000. 
Chess,  pool  and  billiards,  bowling 
games  and  tournaments  are  among  the 
most  attractive  social  features.  Con- 
cert companies  and  lecturers  are 
brought  from  the  States.  Local  dra- 
matic, vaudeville  and  minstrel  com- 
panies are  organized.  Gymnasium 
classes,  basket  ball  and  indoor  base 
ball  leagues  are  conducted  by  the 


Reading  Room,  Gatun 


!) 


Y.  M.  C.  A.  Club  House,  Cristobal 


physical  departments,  and  about  two 
or  three  times  each  year  outdoor  ath- 
letic meets  are  run  off.  Bible  clubs, 
discussion  clubs,  Life  Problem  clubs 
and  mid-week  and  Sunday  religious 
services  are  conducted  for  those  inter- 
ested in  that  line  of  work. 

The  monthly  attendance  at  the  build- 
ings averages  about  75,000,  while  the 
number  of  bowling  games  will  average 
about  7,000  per  month  and  the  billiard 
and  pool  games  about  20,000.  The  to- 


Camera  Club,  Cristobal 


10 


Y.  M.  C.  A.  Club  House,  Gorgona 


tal  monthly  attendance  at  gymnasiums 
averages  about  1,900,  and  about  125 
are  enrolled  in  dramatic  clubs,  about 
sixty  in  camera  clubs,  with  about  200 
men  serving  on  committees. 

The  expense  of  operating  these 
buildings  is  borne  jointly  by  the  Asso- 
ciation membership  and  by  the  Isth- 
mian Canal  Commission.  The  Y.  M. 
C.  A.  membership  dues,  payable  in  ad- 
vance are:  $10.00  annually,  $6.00  semi- 
annually, $4.00  quarterly. 

New  employees  and  all  visiting  the 
Canal  Zone  are  most  cordially  invited 
to  visit  the  club  houses  and  make 
themselves  known  to  the  secretaries, 
who  will  endeavor  to  show  every  pos- 
sible attention  and  courtesy. 


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CUT  ACROSS 


A SONG  OF  THE  PANAMA  CANAL 

Says  New  York  to  Yokohama, 

To  Calcutta  and  Bombay, 

To  Peking,  Manila,  Bangkok, 

Sydney,  Shanghai,  Mandalay: 

“ I am  building  you  a channel 
Safe  and  easy — I’m  the  boss! 

It’s  a short  and  simple  journey. 

Come  and  see  me:  cut  across!” 

This  the  call  of  San  Francisco 
To  Berlin  and  Liverpool, 

To  Vienna,  Cairo,  London, 

Naples,  Paris,  and  Stamboul: 

“ I am  making  you  a roadway. 

It’s  a modern  mighty  foss; 

And  the  distance  now  is — nothing. 

Come  and  see  me:  cut  across!” 

Uncle  Sam  says  to  the  nations. 

Nations  big  and  nations  small: 

“ I am  keeping  open  house  now. 

And  invite  you  to  a call. 

For  the  world  is  growing  narrow. 

And  an  ocean  but  a toss. 

When  our  ships  can  pierce  an  isthmus. 
Come  and  see  me:  cut  across!” 

And  the  nations  sing  in  chorus. 

Sing  a song  of  happy  peace: 

“ Now  we  are  so  close  together. 

It  is  time  that  wars  should  cease. 
Fighting  is  a wretched  business; 

Loss,  and  loss,  and  only  loss. 

Let  us  live  as  friends  and  neighbors, — 
Visit  often, — cut  across!” 

Amos  R.  Wells, 
in  The  Youth’s  Companion. 


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